In the Media

Articles That Mention the Free Speech Union

With free speech, practice what you preach

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We must be able to trust those who claim to be on the side of free speech. When your alleged allies fall foul of the egregious values of the cancel culture mob it is easy to lose hope. That is why the best thing anyone can do is join the Free Speech Union. No matter how “small” your case is, people need to be held to account.

Sam Bayliss, The Critic, 10th November 2020.

Journalist Darren Grimes files formal complaint over Scotland Yard’s handling of “race hate” probe into his David Starkey interview as he accuses Met of deferring to “criminal” BLM movement

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Toby Young, general secretary of the Free Speech Union, said the use of the Public Order Act to “regulate speech and debate” had a “chilling effect on free speech”. He said “it is not the police’s job to investigate thought crimes,” adding: “The Metropolitan Police made a serious mistake in deciding to investigate Dr David Starkey and Darren Grimes and should apologise.”

Jack Wright, MailOnline, 26th October 2020.

Toby Young on Cancel Culture

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Toby Young [talks] about his personal experience of being cancelled in 2018, why he set up the Free Speech Union to help others who have been through similar experiences, falling foul of a Twitchfork mob, “offence archaeology” and why he thinks it might be an uphill task trying to foster civil debate and polite disagreement in the digital sphere.

Tanya Goodin interviews Toby Young, It’s Complicated, 26th October 2020.

A victory for common sense

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Following a backlash, Scotland Yard has decided it is not “proportionate” to pursue the investigation. And rightly so. As Toby Young of the Free Speech Union, which was backing Grimes and Starkey, observed, “The only hatred David Starkey stirred up was against himself”.

Spiked, 21st October 2020.

Scotland Yard DROP “race hate” probe into Darren Grimes and David Starkey after historian sparked fury over “damn blacks” comment in YouTube interview

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Responding to the news today, Baroness Fox tweeted: “Sweet victory. For once a victory for free speech, press freedom and common sense. And it couldn’t have happened without a genuine public outcry as well as support of the Free Speech Union. Very pleased for you Darren Grimes, but even more pleased for all of us and the cause of liberty.”

Jack Wright and James Fielding, MailOnline, 21st October 2020.